Tales from today's commute....

[Buzzinonbikes]

Silly bit of cycling on my way home today. Waiting to enter a roundabout and waiting for cars to pass. A car was signalling and looked like it was coming off at the junction before mine so I went. Next thing I know the car is right behind me and has to slow down heavily to avoid me and take the next exit.
Silly bit of driving yes but I normally anticipate this sort of rubbish. Disappointed. At least it wasn't worse!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Silly bit of cycling on my way home today. Waiting to enter a roundabout and waiting for cars to pass. A car was signalling and looked like it was coming off at the junction before mine so I went. Next thing I know the car is right behind me and has to slow down heavily to avoid me and take the next exit.
Silly bit of driving yes but I normally anticipate this sort of rubbish. Disappointed. At least it wasn't worse!

Don't be too hard on yourself, we all make mistakes, I did a similar thing many years ago, trouble was it was a cop car, fluorescent one at that, I got a right rollicking.

 

[Buzzinonbikes]

Don't be too hard on yourself, we all make mistakes, I did a similar thing many years ago, trouble was it was a cop car, fluorescent one at that, I got a right rollicking.

Thanks Dave. One of those things you learn from/always have in your back of your mind now I suppose!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Thanks Dave. One of those things you learn from/always have in your back of your mind now I suppose!

Its the same with cars as it is with bikes, if the driver/rider goes round the outside of the roundabout close to the kerb it can look as if they are leaving the roundabout when they are not and that can confuse people.

 

[Miquel In De Rain]

Not a bad commute on Sunday,finding even more routes but was criticised at work for taking the Tower Bridge route because it's not the most direct route I guess.This is from a guy who cycled to Manchester the other day,he's mad enough so he probably did.

I said to him,who gives a flying one if it's a mile longer.Finding more variations on the first and third bits of the commute.Like going up to the Blackfriars Bridge Road to Elephant and castle as opposed to the other route.The last bit,found out how to avoid those crap Harrow Green lights.Just about to leave for my early morning commute,then lates tomorrow.

 

[benb]

It was lovely this morning. I've been off work with the new baby for 2 weeks, so my legs complained a little, but it was great to be back on the bike. Everyone seemed nice today too, particularly a BMW who hung back at three successive pinch points and overtook with tons of space. He got a wave when I overtook him at the next lights.

I think sometimes I'd like to stop and thank drivers that do a good overtake, but I worry that they'd think I was being sarcastic.

 

[Freestyler]

It was lovely this morning. I've been off work with the new baby for 2 weeks, so my legs complained a little, but it was great to be back on the bike. Everyone seemed nice today too, particularly a BMW who hung back at three successive pinch points and overtook with tons of space. He got a wave when I overtook him at the next lights.

I think sometimes I'd like to stop and thank drivers that do a good overtake, but I worry that they'd think I was being sarcastic.

I almost always give drivers a quick wave when they pass me if they have given extra care in their overtake by waiting until it was safe to pass.

 

[benb]

I almost always give drivers a quick wave when they pass me if they have given extra care in their overtake by waiting until it was safe to pass.

TBH, they probably won't see it, unless they are looking in the mirror, but hopefully the driver behind will think "Hey, I want a wave too" and overtake nicely.

 

[gambatte]

Occasional commuter back again. I spent bits of last week winterising the bike. New light mounts, mudguards, rack etc. Meant to take it out for a shakedown ride, but it never happened. So today I dragged myself out again. It's always harder after a layoff. That first half mile.
Apart from a slight repositioning of the front guard there seemed no problem with the work. There's a strange noise from the crank area (?) which wasn't there before and I can't see what causes it....
So 14 miles later I'm at work. I'd like to say an uneventful ride, but it wasn't. Going towards Meadowhall, Bawtry road at Tinsley and approaching a pinch point, due to a ped island. I suddenly notice an 'MTL Group' flatbed wagon (TN53 G0P) on my offside, overtaking too close and without enough room to safely complete the manouvre. Sure enough he pulls in before he's passed and forces me towards the kerb!
It gets him a lot because a bit further on he's stuck in queuing traffic at the roundabout at the south end of Tinsley viaduct. I filter towards the front and slot in, where a drivers left T&T between himself and the driver in front.
I'm going north on the lower deck of the viaduct, but the 2 lane entrys closed for maintenance. The diversion takes you along the service road that runs down the centre, for half its length. Speeds limited to 30mph, so I put my foot down and I'm well over 20mph for this short burst. The traffic then has a chicane to get back into 2 lanes on the normal carriageway. Within 20 yards Mr 'MTL Group' is overtaking me within inches, when he has a clear lane on his offside...
So I reckon I'm clear now. Can't have anything else within a few miles of work? I'm in the right hand lane at the north end of the viaduct, positioned centrally. I'm taking exit 3 of 6, Blackburn Road.
Just as I'm passing exit 2, theres a twin cab pick up on my left shoulder, passing, in the same lane! Don't think the long blast on the airzound would have had any effect, but hopefully other drivers looked at him and thought "What a tit!"
It made the later very close, very fast pass by the BMW on a straight road hardly worth mentioning....
Anyway, at work, surprisingly chilled and looking forward to 16:30 and the ride back.

 

[Lee_M]

was it just me or was it bloody windy this morning?

coming down CS3 from limehouse basin and I felt like I'd ridden 30 miles not 7

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I think sometimes I'd like to stop and thank drivers that do a good overtake, but I worry that they'd think I was being sarcastic.

I sometimes feel that way. But then a sense of 'why the heck should I thank someone for not endangering me, surely a decent overtake is just a matter of courtesy?' overwhelms me.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

This mornng, taxi, duly reported to the local licensing office, did a classic 2mph speed differential high gear foot to the floor pink-pink-pink-pink gillete mach III close overtake, on a bend on a country road. Had he waited seven mississippi, I know cos I counted them, then the three on-coming cars would have passed and he could have overtaking correctly and in the right gear.

But I'm only riding a bike.

 

[benb]

I sometimes feel that way. But then a sense of 'why the heck should I thank someone for not endangering me, surely a decent overtake is just a matter of courtesy?' overwhelms me.

I know what you mean, and there is something rather wrong with the world when a good courteous overtake is such a rarity that we feel the need to specifically respond to it.

However, if by thanking the driver it makes them feel happy about it, and/or encourages other drivers to do the same, then it's a good thing.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

However, if by thanking the driver it makes them feel happy about it, and/or encourages other drivers to do the same, then it's a good thing.

I wholeheartedly agree 100%

I find making the big "more space" sign with my right hand/arm in the close passer's wake whilst ducking down to eyeball them in their rear view (and they always seem to be looking back) seems to work wonders on the following car(s)

 

[Peter Armstrong]

This is what happened on my commute today


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwj2GgMoXpY